My Fight For The Light
by Crye of the Fallen
Summary: Unsuccessful at hiding her unnatural powers for long, creatures of darkness are drawn to Crystle. In order to defeat a common grandfather, her and her cousin must link their hearts of fire and ice.
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N) hey guys! Yeah, this is trial 2 of this story (and if you read the first, you would agree it was crap). Ren, Crystle, her parents, and the purple haired girl are OC's.**

The afternoon bell rings, and I smile as the local shops flip their signs to read 'open'. I take a deep breath, waiting to see if I can catch the scent of cookies in progress. This evening feels calm, and the warm breeze carries the fragrance the the many flowers here in Radiant Garden.

Calm night are the best. The kids at school would kid around with the all natural saying, 'take a chill pill', while unaware of how literal that is to me. Of course, they couldn't know. I mean, I don't just go running around the plaza freezing my surroundings, yelling about some witch's tale. Besides, it doesn't work that way. This ability is very unpredictable. You ever buy one of those mood bracelets, you know, the ones that change color with your mood? Yeah, it's like that... except that this is actually accurate.

So, like I said previously, calm nights are the best. Cause after all, stress equals ice. And if you haven't started to imagine me as some sort of freak, this'll do ya in. My dreams are also abnormal. When I sleep, I often find myself viewing the surroundings of a girl with purple hair. When they first started, I was only six. Back then, the girl I viewed looked about four. My guess was confirmed when I witnessed a woman sneaking into the children's room with a small cake, before being called for by some man in the house. These occurrences stopped by the time she turned six, and for a while, they stayed away. I dismissed them as dreams... until they started back up the year of my twelfth birthday.

Plopping down onto the nearest bench, I stare around, not sure what I'm looking for. Closing my eyes, I just enjoy the moment. Why shouldn't I? Can a girl have peace for a while, and of all times, on her birthday? Like many mothers, mine has gone crazy with plans. I'm not sure what she has decided, but I know once I step through the door, there will be no escape. Smiling, I shut my eyes and listen to the surrounding sounds. Bees buzzing, breeze sighing, and hurried footsteps. Yup. Peacefu-

Wait... footsteps. Running. Towards me. Eyes flying open, I quickly stand from my bench, looking around. Soon enough, my gaze lands on an approaching figure, and I relax. It's only him; my stumbling, immature crushIMEAN FRIEND! Yes, he's my FRIEND... I think. I laugh as I watch him charge towards the plaza. While he runs, I take in his profile. He's pretty fast, but would be faster if he didn't trip on every other step. His jet black hair is still as uncontrollable as always, his jacket are the same shade, zipper unzipped, revealing a simple blue T-shirt. He is, by no means, hot. I mean, he's not overweight, but not too skinny. He doesn't have any visible muscles, but he's not scrawny. He's just, average when it comes to looks. But his eyes are almost identical to mine; a light shade of blue, almost white. Cool. In the next moment, he stumbles, and I catch a glimpse of a black ribbon. Craning my neck to see, I spot a blue box, tied off with the ribbon from earlier. He notices where my glance has wandered, and rolls his eyes, smiling at my impatience. Straightening himself, he walks over to where I'm standing, who is currently hunched over, trying not to laugh at his crooked clothes and messy hair.

"What now Ren?" I ask teasingly.

"Excuuuuuuuuuussseee me! I didn't know I needed to schedule an appointment to say hi." he elbows me as I roll my eyes. Looking to me, he hesitates a bit, then goes on.

"You look nice today." He notes. Raising my eyebrows in disbelief, I smirk.

"I'm not sure if sweats, a hoodie, and sneakers count as 'nice'" I reply. I smile as he blushes, looking away and mumbling something 'my bad'. I wear the same thing every day. Blue and black sneakers, and black sweats with a light blue hoodie. Needless to say, we match almost everyday, even when we don't try.

"Okay then, . I guess you don't want your PRESENT!" he claims. Turning to him, I cross my arms.

"Nobody said anything like that..." I grumble, pouting. Chuckling at my childish stance, he holds out the box. Before I can grab it, a voice calls out from the side.

"Hey Crystle, you shouldn't talk to that one!" I turn to see who was speaking, but I knew that already. Two boys stand at the end of the plaza, one with bright red hair, and the other with hair of the exact opposite shade. That boy seems to stay pretty silent though. He makes no comment, as his friend goes on.

"Everyone knows he's a freak! You should move away, he might be contagious." He yells. Annoyed, I step forward.

"No one asked for your opinion Lea. As for the title of freak, I'm afraid you've beat him to it!" I backfire. Agitated, Lea walks closer to me, but is intercepted by Ren.

"What? All I'm trying to do is finish my conversation with Crystle, without having to yell from over there." Lea sneers, moving to walk around him. Protective coldness in his eyes, Ren steps into his path again.

"And all I'M trying to do is keep that from happening." Ren states. Tapping his feet impatiently against the pavement, Lea's teasing smirk is replaced by one of annoyance.

"Look man, my patience is running on a low today, so just step aside freak!" Lea threatens. I watch this from several feet away. Knowing Ren's response before he even says it, I just hope that Lea doesn't take it as an invitation. The fact that I'm standing off to the side as a bystander makes it hard to stay calm. Anger cooped up inside of me, I step forward before Ren could say anything stupid. Storming up to Lea, I lightly push a surprised Ren out of the way.

"What do you even need with me anyway? If you don't like us being friends, you don't have to hang around!" I point out crossly. His daunting persona is suddenly replaced with a cocky sneer.

I'm just trying to put as much space between you," he puts a hand on my shoulder, "and THAT." He jabs a finger towards Ren. Before he can react, I push his hands away and move forward, forcing Lea a couple steps back. His eyebrows furrow.

"Thanks, but no thanks. As I see it, Ren is not the freak here. Or do you need me to read off the leader board again?" I reply. At the moment, there's almost too much anger to hold back. Putting a hand to my head, I sigh as Lea's smirk is replaced with a look of disgust.

"Well no one asked for your opinion, Crystle!" he says with a mocking tone, shoving me back. Just because this guy looks scrawny, doesn't mean that he is. As expected, I back up a few steps (unsuccessfully trying to regain balance), and fall, scraping my palms on the pavement.

"Hey, what was that about?!" Ren demands. I press my hands onto the ground on either side of me, wincing as the scratches are touched, and try my best to calm down. But this proves useless, because all I can think about are Lea's words: freak, contagious, freak, freak. Closing my eyes and gripping my hands into fists, adding scratches onto my knuckles as well, I frown as anger dominates. I listen to the threats being thrown between the two boys, and seethe. Ren's standing up for me, and I'm seated on the pavement. I put a hand to my head in frustration and a small, sort of animal like, growl escapes my lips. In a few moments, I hear a pair of footsteps move... and fall.

"What the heck?!" Startled by the sudden change in tension, I slowly open my eyes, and gasp as I take in my surroundings. Well, so much for staying calm. Every inch of ground around me, in a ten foot diameter, has been coated with ice. And that's not even the best part! Anyone with at least one working eye, could see where the origin was: me. Glancing frantically from where he had fell, to the trail leading to me, Lea stammers as he pushes himself away from me.

"Y-you! Stay back! I should have known to leave you alone with that one!" He yells, jabbing a finger towards us. He then turns to run away, slipping as he goes. I start to climb to my feet, but a voice from behind stops me in my tracks.

"Crystle..." Ren asks cautiously. Eyes widening at the realization, I mentally curse myself. Ren had seen. My. Ice. Pushing myself up, not worrying about the stings from my hands, I immediately dash in the opposite direction, away from Ren, barely taking in his calls from behind, or taking the time to wonder how he didn't slip on the ice.

Not aware of my path, the horror of having a witness that's able to prove I'm some sort of witch rendering my mind useless, I run. The polite greeting from neighbors go unnoticed as I rush by. I start to wonder what would happen if I never stopped running. No one would follow, and Lea wouldn't be able to tease. I almost decide to do so, but something stops me. A scent, something that simple kept me from continuing my cursed train of thought. Turning, I smile as the tiny shop comes into view. Should have known. Turning, I walk to the door and push it open. The little bell that greets me never fails to lighten the mood. Soon enough, a cheerful face pops up from behind the counter.

"Hi Crystle! How's my number one cookie eater?" I chuckle as the littler girl bounces around. Worries instantly pushed to the back of mind, I shrug.

"Nothing new..." I mumble.

"What?" Kairi asks, not able to hear my first response.

"Good, Kairi. So, any new selections?" With a nod, she runs to the back room to check. Glancing around the shop, I smile as I see that nothing has changed. Before I can spot where the cookies are, Kairi comes back and pulls on my shirt sleeve.

"C'mon!" She drags me to my favorite section of the store, as I take in the pleasant smell. As always, when the cookie shelves come into view, I turn to Kairi.

"Do you ever just snag some?" I ask her, envious that she gets to help run the place. She pouts, shaking her head, and points towards the kitchen.

"Grandma says that if I want some, I have to buy them, or make them myself. And since I burn whatever I bake, and spend my allowance on flowers, no chance has come." She shrugs.

"Well if you could, what would you choose?" I ask, trying to be subtle. Immediately growing excited, she launches into the wonders of double fudge. Her little rant was so long, I forgot the beginning of it.

"Okay, okay. They DO sound good. I'll take twelve of them!" I decide. Her eyes widen, but then she smirks.

"That's a large order, but that shouldn't be a problem for you, know should it?" She teases, poking at my stomach. While she walks to the counter, I stick my hands into my pockets to grab a pile off loose change, but wince. Drawing my hands back out, I sigh at the forgotten scrapes on them. Quickly getting the munny out, I join Kairi at the counter. Expecting me, she holds out her hands.

" Three-fourty munny. Pay up!" She demands in her best bossy voice. Since she can't pull it off, we are immediately launched into laughing hysterics.


	2. Chapter 2

Since the 'event' with Lea and Ren, I had simply roamed the town. I mean, it's not like I could go back to the plaza. I can't even begin to realize what I had done. Coming to a stop, I look back, certain that I've lost them. Assured that no one has followed me, I turn back around and sigh. Did I really just reveal the one thing I've kept hidden for so long? Ugghh. Well, you know what they say, change can be a good thing... right? I'm not too sure. Looking around, I notice that I've actually gone farther from my house. It's starting to get darker outside, and my stomach growls slightly. I satisfy myself with the cookies I had forgotten until now. Ddaaaammmnn... more walking. Taking a step forward, I continue down the road. My foot steps are the only sound I can hear, before my shallow gasp of disappointment breaks the silence. Ren had tried to give me something... I wonder what it was... maybe just a joke, I dunno. My train of thought is interrupted by a shiver that runs down my neck. Bringing my hand up to feel, I pause. I don't... get cold...unless...

Someone's watching me. Spinning around, my gaze sweeps the surroundings.

"Who's there!" I yell. The way I said it was more of a demand than a question, as my voice rings through the street strongly. Hearing no response, I hesitantly turn and resume walking. Eyes narrowed, I reach for one of my cookies, savouring the sweet taste. Continuing on, the feeling on the back of my head only grows stronger, and soon, I stop trying to ignore it.

"I know you're there!" I yell even louder than before, startling nearby birds. I watch them fly away, cautious of my surroundings. Giving up on the main road, sweat trailing down my neck, I turn.

Taking a short cut through the ally ways, I look around before stepping into the shadows. (Yes, I know my mom says that since I'm a young lady, I should be careful at night. BUT, I want to get home and away from whoever this is, so...yeah.) Hurrying down the gravel path, the crunch of tiny footsteps stops me in my tracks. Feeling a stare on my back, I turn once again, eyes widening at the sight. What... the hell... is THAT?! My mouth drops open, as I examine the creature.

It's short with a black body, and it's antennae are folded into zig-zag patterns. It's blank stare doesn't let up as it take steps forward. Inching back, I look to see if anyone's close. I suck in breath to scream out for somebody, then freeze. Looking back to the monster, I watch as it stops approaching. In a flash, it sends out a screeching call.

Ducking, I scream as a strike of black hits the wall to my close left. Looking up trough the dust, my eyes widen as I see them. It called for it's friends. Another monster twitches, an attack coming close enough to singe the sleeve of my hoodie. The others do the same, and I manage to hit the ground as the wall collapses behind me.

Jumping up, I stare back at the monsters. They approach, slow by steady. Not bothering to hold back my shouts, I stand up and rush over the rubble, leaving behind long forgotten cookies. Hurrying onto the cement on the other side, I'm forced back into the plaza.

Close to panic, I jump as I feel a stinging sensation in my hands. Looking down, I see a blue light glow radiating from my palms. The ground around my feet gains a thin sheet of ice, and I wince. Shaking my head, I turn my attention to the monsters closing in.

Looking between my hands, I wonder how I, of all people, could have this power to start with. It shouldn't exist...well, I've heard this stuff in stories from Kairi's grandmother. The frustration of this situation grips my mind, and the ice spreads. If these tales are true, I just need a spell or something.

Looking around at the creatures, who have resumed trying to corner me, I dig through my mind for a phrase that would work... Nope. Can't think of anything.

Shaking my head, I do the stupidest thing ever. Stepping up to a flower bed, I grab as many stones as I can. Clutching my ammo, I step back and sigh. Placing the rocks in a pile beside me, I grab one and chuck it at the nearest creature. I smile my perfect aim, as it sails towards the creature's face.

"Bull's Eye!" I shout, picking up another rock. My joy flees as the rock goes right through the monster. Arms drooping, I dismiss the fact that I didn't hit it. I just hope that nobody saw that. Looking around for witnesses, I sigh in both relief and frustration. Nobody.

All of the sudden, the monsters stop. Eyed by the rest, two of them step forward. They blink once before both becoming an inky blob. Jumping back, tripping over the stairs in the process, I watch as they morph together. Growing taller, it's eyes flash red, as arms and legs appear.

In full transformation, the new monster let's out a bone chilling roar. Stomping a foot to the ground, the monster sends a force through the stone. The path's tiles ripple, moving upwards, as if a mole were digging a tunnel. The force moves around haphazardly for a moment, before shooting towards me.

I try to stand up but, all of the sudden, dark prongs come up through the ground and grab me. Yelping as I'm dragged down, I hit the ground hard and wince as my head absorbs most of the shock. As I land, the ice coating the ground suddenly spikes up into sharp points. Struggling hopelessly, I think back to the stories. What did _they_ do in this situation...Oh, yeah. In a flash, a realization hits me. Crap.

Looking at the monster, who's getting closer every second, I gulp as I remember a constant variable in the tales. Yeah, I match the magical people in the stories. _**BUT - all of the people in the stories ended up dead!**_

Breaths getting stuck in my chest, I watch as the creature halts in front of me. My eyes widen as it lifts it's arm. Using it as some sort of bat, it flies towards me. Giving up on trying to get free, I swing out my arm to protect myself.

"STOP!" I scream desperately. I feel slight pressure on my arm, and then it disappears. Eyes shut, I can only hear the sound of some sort of metal clashing. A violent shudder goes up my arm, as my hand aches from impact. Feeling the tight grasp around me slacken, I quickly sit up. Surprised to find myself alive, I jump to my feet, dizzy from the movement. Looking down to my hands, I gasp. The handle to a blade of ice lies in my grip. Whoa. The blade itself is a clear blue, much like ice. It curves off of the grip, smooth, but sharp. The handle is kind of shaped like a sun. (like a circle with a bunch of 's going off of it). I hear a scratching noise beside me, and look down to find words being carved into the ice.

~Do you trust me? Let me help you. ~

Bewildered and left with no other choice, seeing as the monsters are only getting closer, I agree. Okay. Fine.

"Alright, I accept your aid. What do I do?" I ask. I look to the ground for an answer, but nothing is written. Instead, a voice rings out.

~Heyy, what's up?~ It asks. Startled, I look around.

"Who is it?" I ask in confusion. The voice chuckles, and answers.

~Don't bother looking. I only exist in your mind. Now, all you have to do... is give me temporary control.~ she claims.

Eyes widening, as it's meaning comes to me, I shake my head.

"You mean, you want to TAKE ME OVER?!" I ask incredulously. I look up the monsters and pause. They seem to be held back by some invisible force.

~You might want to make a decision now, scardey cat. I can't ward them off forever!~ She yells. Taking a deep breath, after reviewing my only option, I nod.

"Fine! Do it!" I yell back... and immediately regret it. A feeling of pure dark emotion floods me from head to toe. I shiver, something I have never done in my life. An ache appears in my chest, and it feels as if my heart is being squeezed. Not the organ though... something much different...

"W-what is-s t-t-this-s?" I ask, shaking uncontrollably. At my question, my mouth open against my will. I speak, but it isn't my voice. It's sickening.

"Well, isn't this lovely." 'I' say. Before my consciousness fades.

* * *

 **Ren's POV**

Running down the road, I flinch as I hear the small explosions at a distance. Crystle... please be alright! I grip the small box in my hand tighter, thinking of what had happened earlier that day. She had run away right after, not hearing what I had said; that me and her... we're the same. Yes, I have the same powers as Crystle. And this power could put her in some serious danger. Man, I should have taken her to Master sooner! All I can do now is protect her... I'M FAILING ALREADY! Arggghhhh. Sliding around the next corner, I gasp at what I see. The ground around me goes slippery (although I am also able to walk on it without slipping), and spikes up in random locations. No, Crystle, where are you!

"Crystle! Where are you!" I scream, straining to hear an answer. I'm about to call again, when a bloodcurdling scream reaches my ears.

"NO!" My heart stops for a moment as Crystle's voice assaults my ears. At the pitch, I shoot off in the direction, hoping that I'm not too late. And what I see...kills me. There she stands, facing a horde of heartless. I almost call out to her, but I freeze. Her stance is shaking badly, and she looks like she'll collapse at any moment. A dark aura rushes up from her legs, and envelopes her entire body. She shudders even more violently, and she falls to one knee, face hidden. I start running towards her, but a cold force keeps me at a distance. Suddenly, a surge of energy pushes me down, and as I look up, the breath leaves my lungs. What... she gave in?

Her wavy blue hair, now straight, lifeless, and white. Her light skin, now deathly pale. And her eyes... oh, her eyes...

'Crystle' pushes herself up, swaying slightly. She turns to look directly at me, smile, once kind, now curved up wickedly. Her eyes... they used to match mine; a heavenly light blue. Now, they glow a filthy golden.

"Well, isn't this lovely." The voice that leaves her voice sounds like Crystle's throat had been coated with sandpaper. Shivering, I try to speak, but she raises a pale finger.

"Won't you wait just a moment Ren, dear." She says, and the pit of my stomach tightens. She gets into her fighting stance, and I turn away, not bothering to watch as she slaughters the heartless. Crystle... are you still there? I wonder. I put all of my concentration into that statement, praying that she's alright.

It's a bit until I hear the last heartless be destroyed. Turning back, my eyes narrow as she heads towards me. Stopping about two feet away, she smirks.

"So YOU'RE Ren... I can see why she likes you." She sneers before her body goes limp. I lunge forward, getting there in time to prevent her from hitting the ground. As I make contact with her, Crystle's hair starts to gain it's original color, skin doing likewise. I run the side of my hand across her smooth cheek, smiling. I hesitate as she stirs. Is she back? Her head lifts off of my arm, and she shakes her head.

"Crystle? Are you alright?" I ask cautiously. I watch as her eye lids open, and I sigh in relief. Blue. I pull her to her feet, and begin to guide her towards her house before she can ask about the past couple hours.

"Hey, I can walk myself home."

"Can you even walk?" I ask. She grins and shoots back her sarcastic reply.

"Nope. I'm just stubborn." Free from my grip, she takes a few steps forward... and falls flat on her face. I watch the scene unfold in front of me, chuckling.

"Ha. Told ya." I joke.


	3. Chapter 3

I just lay here in the darkness, created by my shut eyelids. I hear nothing around me but can smell a faint scent of sweets. WAIT! WHERE AM I!?

"NO!" I scream, sitting up and opening my eyes wide, looking all around the room...my room? I'm... at my house. What? How did I get here? There was a monster, and a big one and the magical sword thing, and her...

Wrapping my arms around myself, I think back to the bone chilling experience. Did that ACTUALLY happen?! Oh, dear lord, I hope not! Shaking my head violently, I decide to dismiss the whole turn of events as a dream.

Jumping out of bed, I look around and sigh. I really should clean this... nah. Stepping over clothes and various items, I walk towards the door and pull it open. Stepping out, I look down the hall, and frown. It's never this quiet. Is nobody home? I take in a breath to call out for my parents, but a big pop sounds from behind me.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CRYSTLE!" A voice screams. Jumping out of my skin, I stumble away from my parents and their confetti cannon. Trying to coax air back into my lungs, I listen to the giggles behind me. Clearing my head of the chaos, I can't help but laugh at my parents. Mom leans against the wall, holding her sides to keep from exploding with laughter, her gray, over-sized sweater shaking. Dad just stands there, confetti littering his black hair. He brushes sparkles off of his blue turtleneck, gazing at me expectantly.

"Come on guys! Really?" I tease. Mom walks towards me, and I give her a big hug. I'll never get used to her tight hold, hoping every time that she doesn't snap me in half. Releasing her from my death grip, I turn towards Dad, but know better than to give him a hug. He's not that type of guy.

"Yeah, really. We had to! It's your birthday, so we couldn't help ourselves!" Glaring back and forth from Mom to Dad, I cross my arms in mock annoyance.

"Don't look at me, it was all your mother." Dad says, holding his hands up in mock defense. Grinning, Mom throws her arms up in surrender.

"I plead guilty, now LET'S GO!" She laughs. I follow her down the hall, a step and a half behind Dad. He looks back to me and I freeze. His expression is pure ice, sending a familiar chill through my body. We only lock eyes for not even a second before he turns back to face front, but I caught it. Stopping at the top of the stairs, I pull my arms into my jacket, shivering. My sudden pause brings the attention of my parents. Glancing back, Mom frowns.

"What's wrong Crystle?" She asks. Looking into her eyes, I find nothing but sincere concern. Relaxing a bit, I shrug, finding that the shivering was not going away any time soon.

"Nothing, just cold." I say simply. At my answer, her eyes narrow jokingly.

"But aren't you the one who played with snow in shorts and a tank top? I'm actually sweating in here. Are you sick?" She asks, reaching out a hand to feel my forehead. Her slim fingers brush my face, and she flinches. She looks to me and her frown returns.

"Your skin is so cold! Did you use ice to take a shower, or what?" She asks. I internally wince at the mention of ice. Brushing her arm away teasingly, I shake my head.

"Nahh, I'm alright. Maybe all of the chills from the past are catching up to me." I say as convincingly as I can. Apparently, it worked, because she reluctantly turns back to face front.

"Kay then, let's go!" Leading us down the stairs by our hands, almost dragging me across the floor boards, Mom pulls us into the living room. Stepping into the light, my jaw drops. Blue and white streamers curl off of everything in the room. A small table in the room holds a couple boxes adorned with bright paper. Looking to Mom, I watch her sigh.

"It's too much isn't it?" She asks. I open my mouth to object, but she puts a finger to my mouth.

"Too bad! You'll just have to deal with it!" Laughing, she drags me to the couch and presses gifts into the cushion beside me.

"Already?" I ask, not wanting to be spoiled and think about presents first. Mom smiles and nods her head, placing a familiar black and blue box in my lap.

Staring down at it in wonder, I try to remember who this is from. Looking up to my mom, I narrow my eyes at her teasing expression.

"What?" I ask, getting nervous at her implication. She smiles and points at the box.

"A boy stopped by to give this to you while you were sleeping." She says. My hearts skips a beat as I realize where the box came from. Doubt clouding my mind, I still label past events as a dream.

"Well, who was it?" She pries. Letting myself accept it a bit, I go on.

"Did he have, um ... black hair?" I ask warily. She nods her head enthusiastically, and describes him.

"He was wearing a black jacket with a blue shirt. And, this may seem weird, but it seemed like he had been running across the whole town." Mouth dropping open, I review the evidence and freeze. I don't want to admit it, but I can't deny it anymore: it happened. Worried, I look down to the box and sigh. Pulling off the string, I pry open the box and gasp. Reaching in, I pull out the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. It's a silver chained necklace, the shape of the pendant, a small snowflake. The color is close to that of ice. Not exactly blue, yet not exactly clear.

"Honey, that's beautiful! What's the boy's name?" She gasps. Looking away, I lift up the chain around my neck and clip it on. The charm seems to glow as it lies on my neck line. With the charm, Dad seems to stiffen as he moves across the room, towards the window.

"It's Ren." I say. She smiles and nods knowingly. I place the box beside me, but notice a piece of paper inside. Grabbing it, I unfold it and peer at the sloppy words.

* * *

 _Don't worry. You're secret is safe with me._

 _You know... I'm the same. Know that._

 _If anything happens, I want you to escape._

 _Don't worry. You're safe with me._

* * *

Ren... is the SAME? Looking down to the necklace, a realization hits me. He made this... out of ice. Dismissing the new details, Mom runs out of patience.

"C'mon, already! Open mine now!" I look over to Dad and find him staring outside, as if expecting someone. I'm shocked to see the tint of something in his eyes. I'm not sure what it is, but the sensation makes me shiver harder. Looking back to Mom before she notices, I laugh my thanks and fumble with the ribbon.

Undoing the bow, I pull the tab off of the envelope. Digging inside, I pull out a piece of paper, trying my best to avoid paper cuts. Flipping it over, I grin at the bold letters. It's coupon for my favorite cookie store! YAY! Jumping up, I hug my mother (who is currently in a laughing fit at my expression).

"Thank you Mom!" I chuckle. She wipes her eyes and sighs.

"I knew you would like it. You go there everyday. But I guess you skipped today." I shake my head.

"Nope. I was there earlie-" Wait...was I there today? All of the sudden, memories from earlier run through my head. Frowning, I grab my head, trying to expelling the past events. Monsters... Ice... Blades... Ren...

No. It didn't happen. Just a nightmare. Just a dream, just a dream, just a dream! Monsters don't exist, and neither does magic, or ice powers! I convince myself of this before opening my eyes again.

Nightmarish images gone, I open my eyes to find myself seated on the couch. Mom's worried expression looks down to me. I glance over to Dad, and freeze. He's staring at me with his yellow ey...WHAT? His eyes are supposed to be blue! This, added to the nasty smirk on his face, renders me both speechless and motionless.

"Crystle, what's wrong? Your skin-it's so cold!" She worries, noticing my terrified expression. Voice not working, I just point over to Dad, not able to break his gaze. Following my stare, Mom looks over to him. His crooked look doesn't fade as he meets her eyes. Watching their staring contest, tension build up, and sure enough, the couch starts to freeze underneath me. No, I can't let them see this! I try calming down, but all I can think about is the past day. Monsters, Ren, weird possession, twisted expressions... it's all so cold. A circuit in my mind is fried, and I start to shake even more than I already was.

"Well, well. Risa, why don't you look at our precious daughter. Isn't she just... something?" He speaks, and Mom turns too look at me. Dad walks closer, and the dark feeling from earlier starts to overflow.

"No... stay back..." I whisper, unable to say anymore than that. Mom steps forward, sensing my fear, and grabs his arm.

"Xavier, what are you doing?" She asks, her tone strong. He turns, smirking.

"All I'm doing is showing you how special she REALLY is." He speaks, and I wince. He knows...

Mom looks back to me again. While she's distracted, Xavier breaks from her hold, stepping closer.

"Crystle dear, want to show her what I mean?" He taunts.

"No..." I mumble, watching inch forward. "I s-said no. No." He doesn't listen. Xavier stops in front of me, reaching a hand out. My mind snaps, and I stand, forcing him back.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" I scream, not realizing that my voice wasn't my own, not worrying about the sharp ice that rises beside me, aiming towards the offender. His eyes widen in mock surprise.

"Whoa, now would you look at that! Risa, what do you think-" He turns to look at his wife, and pauses. Her face is adorned with a proud smile. Scoffing, he spins around, walking to the door, opening it, and steps out.

"What's going on..." I ask, my voice barely audible. Looking back to me, Mom pulls me close, and tells me to hide in my room. I decide against asking more questions, and nod reluctantly. Sprinting upstairs, I hurry down the hall, and to my door. I throw open the door, and gasp. Smoke billows out of the doorway and waves of heat mess with my head. (Ha, now I get it. Since my strength is ice, my weakness is flame. Blah, blah, blah.) Strength draining from the heat of the fire, I stumble forward, and grabbing the knob, I swing the door shut, not before catching a glimpse of a metallic purple shining in the blazes. Backing into the hall, I slump down against the wall, fighting to clear the fuzziness in my head.

"Crystle! Are you okay?!" I hear Mom rush towards me and sigh. Looking to her, I drowsily point towards my room and frown.

"Heat... ice... weakness." Looking to the flames that have almost eaten through my door, Mom's eyes widen. Pulling me up, she looks into my eyes, and nods.

"Don't think I don't know what has been happening. I've known since you've known yourself." Mind exploding, I look back to her.

"Who told you? Ren?" I ask, afraid of the answer. She glances to me, question in his eyes.

"What does Ren have to do with this?"She asks.

"He's the same as me." I put out there. Surprised, Mom opens her mouth to speak, but is interrupted by the cracking of my wooden door. Not waiting to feel the heat, I pull Mom down the hall and down the stairs. Rushing out of the door, I run along side Mom to be a safe distance from the burning house. I run a couple more paces before noticing that Mom is no longer by my side. Spinning around, I gasp as my mind absorbs what I see.

The same black creatures from before surround my Mom and block her way out. Looking at the monsters, a term pops into my head.

"MOM! Get away from the Heartless!" Surprised by this new info, I stare in fright. So, they are Heartless? Weird name. I rush forward to help her, but stop when I realize I'm unarmed. Looking down, desperate for a way to protect, I smile as the familiar blade of ice finds it's way into my grasp. It's handle fits perfectly in my palm, and the weight is nothing.

Clutching the freezing weapon, I jump forward, and bring the blade down on the closest Heartless.


	4. Chapter 4

As the blade makes contact, the Heartless dissolves into nothing. Oh, geez. Have I ever even HELD a sword before. No I haven't, let alone WIELDED one. Oh well. Swinging the weapon sloppily into the monsters, not much experience with battle yet, I slowly manage to clear the ring around my mother. I probably looked like an idiot.

"Mom! Are you okay?" I gasp, tired from the efforts. She stiffly nods, eyes glued to the blade in my grasp. I tug her away from the clearing and to the walk that lead to the docks.

"Crystle, you need to get out of here! Quickly, before he notices us!" Mom pushes me towards the town, panicked. Woah, woah, woah. What's happening? Startled, I pull away sharply, feeling the blade fade away in the confusion.

"What is going on? Who's going to notice us?" I ask. The only response I get is her frightened gaze directed towards the house.

"Him." She says, voice shaking. I quickly turn, jumping back at the sight. A man. An old one at that. And he's... hovering... ten feet off of the ground. I meet his stare and shiver as I observe his yellow eyes. He holds a blade similar, in structure, to mine. I manage to keep his gaze for about twenty-five seconds before flipping out.

"Okay, Who is this guy?!" I ask " And why is hovering like a friggin' space ship?" At my exclamation, the corners of his mouth turn up.

"So this is Crystle... you've grown since I've seen you last!" My jaw drops as he reminisces.

"Wait! I know this guy?" I point towards the hovering figure, purely confused. The man chuckles as he lifts his blade in front of him. With the action, my hand vibrates as my own weapon materializes. With the sight of it, the man's eyes flash.

"Well, congratulations, my granddaughter." I gasp, turning to Mom. Granddaughter? Grandfather? WHAT?! This old dude?

"How come you didn't tell me about him?" I ask Mom , a little disappointed. I have a grandfather... and he can fly! How did I not hear about this? Her head swivels to stare at me.

"You didn't need to know. He's EVIL." She insists. I shake my head, confused. His voice interrupts our short conversation.

"Well if I'M evil, then she is too. She has my blood, remember. NOT yours." With this, the air seems to evade my lungs.

"What does he mean..." I ask warily. Her eyes tear up and a drop trails down her cheek. She looks away and shuts her eyes. Her form continues to shake, as she tries to collect herself.

"Mom, what does he mean!" I ask again, voice a bit louder. She flinches, shifting her weight.

"You had already been born when I met your father. And the day I met your father...was the day I met you." She whispers. My eyes widen, leaking unwanted tears.

"You mean I'm not yours. I'm from dad's side?" I ask for clarification. Her had snaps up.

"Listen. He's only here to take you away! He's only going to use you!" She worries. Sighing, I watch her I place my hand on her shaking shoulder.

"Who said I was going with him? I mean, didn't you tell me NOT to run off with strangers." I assure her. She sighs in relief, the shaking calming to an extent. I turn to my 'grandfather', and my eyes widen, breath stuck in my throat.

"What do you mean you're not coming? This was decided twelve years ago." What is goin' on!? I'm being discussed like a piece of property! The frozen blood in my veins thaws, then boils. Making a single slash through the air with my blade, I step forward.

"Who do you think you are, coming here only to claim me as one of your belongings? I, belong, to ME!" I yell at him, barely managing to keep my rage under control. I see his so called 'kind composure' slip away as my defiance rings through the clearing. His blade glows an inky purple, and I hear a gasp from behind. I quickly turn to face Mom, only to see that she's dissapeared.

"Crystle!" I hear a muffled call from where I had once been looking.

"Mom!" I cry out, seeing her suspended in the air beside my grandfather. Dark ribbons hold her still while her arms struggle to reach for me. Eyes narrowing, I glare at the man.

"Enough of this Grandfather business. Who are you exactly?" I call out in rage. He chuckles and raises his blade to me.

"I am Xehanort, Seeker of Darkness!" He proclaims. I look down to my weapon. I raise it like he did and question.

"You mean, this thing is a Keyblade?" I ask, incredulous. Wow. This matches Kairi's Grandmother's stories perfectly.

"Then, the Keyblade War actually happened? This stuff about the Keyblades and the X-Blade are real?!" I gasp. He only smiles and nods. Looking down to my Keyblade, I grin as a phrase lurks into my knowledge.

"So then this is a spell..." I whisper, just audible enough for him to hear. I point my blade towards the sky and shout.

"Frozen Rain!" A light shoots from my weapon, to the sky, and large crystals are dropped onto the area where he's suspended. On impact, the ice shatters, leaving Xehanort surrounded by tiny ice fragments. Slashing my blade downwards, I trigger the fireworks. I smirk as the explosion catches him off guard. I settle myself, waiting for the light blue smoke to clear. I step back as a dark blade pierces the smoke, sending a force towards me.

"Crystle! Watch out!" My mother cries out. My steps falter, legs not cooperating with me. I stand there, eyes wide, not sure what I should do. It speeds closer, moving to fast for me to react. Then, a figure steps up and pushes me behind him. Kneeling on the grass, Keyblade lying beside me, I cover my head with my hands. Squeezing my eyes shut, I brace myself for the force of the hit, and can't help but panic. I wait a couple seconds, but nothing happens.

"Umm..." I whisper, opening my eyes. In that moment, my heart beat quickens. My eyes went from shut, to wide open. Ice; Surrounding me, protecting me. He's here. Pushing myself up, I knock on the side of the walls.

"Ding, Dong! You can let me out now!" I joke around. A hole slowly opens up on the wall, and a face appears.

"Whoooo iiiiiisssss iiiitt?" He asks in sing-song. Rolling my eyes, I reach out and poke him.

"The person who will never ever be your friend if you don't let her out and give her a full explanation...and her double fudge cookies back!" He laughs at my remarks, shaking his head. Ren can be such a pain.

"Fine." The remaining ice melts away, and his hand grabs mine, pulling me to my feet. Creating another wall between us and the enemy, he turns to me. My gaze moves to the weapon in his hand.

"Is that a Keyblade?" I ask. He lifts it up, and I realize that it's shape is very different than mine. For starters, his blade is more of a scythe than a sword. The long handle is a midnight blue, and a white ribbon flows from where blade meets staff. The metal curves to a sharp point, my face reflected in the gleam.

"Okay, you probably have lots of questions. I can answer them all at once." I blink as he smirks, turning to let his wall fall. Xehanort still hovers in the same place, impatience filling his eyes.

"Are you and your girlfriend done?" He asks. Shocked, I open my mouth to object, but Ren steps forward.

"Just about." He says, smirking at my dumbfounded expression. Crossing my arms, I shrug, dismissing the argument before it takes place. Ren nudges me and his expression goes serious.

"Do you have the pendant?" He asks. I nod and lift the chain around my neck... only to remember that I left it in the house. I look to my home and gasp. Flames grow out of all of the windows, and the wood around the door threatens to give. A disappointed cry escapes my lips as I remember the setting inside. Streamers, gifts, photos, all turned into fire fuel. I turn to Ren, pointing towards the house.

"I left it in there." I admit. He nods and heads towards the burning house. Stunned, I grab his arm.

"You can't go in there! What are you THINKING?!" I shout. Turning to Xehanort, whose patience looks a little more than none, I shudder. He grabs my shoulder, shakes it a bit, and smiles.

"I'll be fine. Remember, If I use my ice, the flame will melt it, and the water will put it out. See, simple logic." I frown as he releases me.

"But before I go..." He hesitates before raising his blade. He backs up a few paces before looking me in the eye.

"You ready?" He asks teasingly. Clueless as ever, I just nod. What is he even doing? Lifting his scythe, I tense as he mumbles a few incoherent words. Pointing the blade towards me, he grins as a light shoots forward.

"What is tha-" Given no time to react, I wince as the energy hits me. Eyes widening, my balance falters as information crowds into my head.

 _Kingdom Hearts Heartless Keyblade Master Eraques Ven Terra Aqua Spells Pendant Keyblade War X Blade Vio`let Blu Darkness Dark Realm Light Shadows Radiant Garden Castle Oblivion Keyblade Sora Riku Kairi Promises Deceivers Power..._

I don't catch quite everything, but basic knowledge sticks. My Keyblade, some combos, some spells, yup, the works. Shaking my head to clear the sensation, I look up to see Ren charging into the house. Yes, the one currently on fire. That idiot.

"Enough talk!" I hear a command from the side and flinch. Turning, I see Xehanort, still hovering in the same place. His eyes are narrowed, and I glance to his side, to see that mom isn't there anymore. Gasping, then fuming, I turn to him.

"Where is she? Tell me!" I demand, fists clenching. Grinning to himself, Xehanort shrugs. Teeth grinding against each other in frustration, I step forward, raising my blade.

"Tell me or ELSE!" I'm shaking from head to toe with rage, and fear as well. He leans forward, smirking.

"Is that a THREAT?" He kids. Gripping the handle of my weapon tightly, I frown.

"Yeah, it is: Blizzaga!" I yell my command, and a cone if ice is forced out of the ground and towards Xehanort. Even though I knew it wouldn't be effective, I was sort of disappointed when he could deflect it with just a flick of his blade. He frowns down at me.

"Come on! I know my granddaughter can do better than this!" He taunts.

"You're no grandfather of mine!" I scream. He just chuckles. Shrugging, he speaks.

"I guess you're right. I'm more like mom AND dad." He speaks, and I falter.

"What are you talking about?! Xavier is my dad!" I supply, annoyed, almost past my limit. He laughs, lowering himself to the ground. I move to take a step back as he takes a stride forward. Standing in front of me, he narrows his eyes.

"Xavier is my creation." He puts simply. Blinking, my mouth hangs open in horror, and confusion.

"What do you mean?" I ask, a little more 'calmer' now.

"I created him, by using a portion of my existence. Did you not notice the similarities?" He points out. I open my mouth to reject his claims, but it hits me. He has a point. The eyes, the attitude, the talk of 'magic', and the expectant gazes when I speak of such things. I take a step farther back as Dad steps into view. I'm left speechless.

"I thought so. But, he's not the only one I created, you know..." He starts. I look to him, eyes wide.

"Who else?" I ask, voice slightly unstable. He chuckles to himself, and this small laughter breaks into a roaring fit. I take a couple more steps back as he laughs, scared of his response. Xehanort places a hand on his face and sighs. An eye peeks out from behind a finger, sending chills down my spine.

"You."


End file.
